Goodbye, Old Friend

Earlier this week, we came to the realization that it's time to say goodbye to part of our family.  We've had a 1999 White Dodge Caravan since 1999.  The car drove our family to DisneyWorld, Halloween Motorcycle Camp-out Rallies, beaches, football practices & games, baseball practices & games, soccer practices & games, and moved us from SC to Tn.  Suffice it to say, that car saw a lot of action in the 13 years it's been in service.
The van was MS' high school car, and it earned him his Senior Superlative:  Most Likely to be a TBall Dad. It was then passed down to YS after MS graduated from high school.  When given the choice to drive the van or something else, YS said he definitely wanted the van because you could carry "stuff" in it.
Last week I drove into our driveway and noticed a dark "trail" coming out into the road.  After band practice, I got a call from YS saying that the van was completely dead.  Thank our lucky stars that the Jeep (that OS had been driving when he was in college) was ready to come home after some extensive work on it.  We switched out one car for the other so YS would have something to drive to school.
CH got the call earlier this week:  it's going to cost more to fix it than it's worth, so it's time to let it go.  I don't get emotionally attached to cars:  it's just a way to carry me where I need to go.  The van was such a reliable mode of transportation:  I only remember it being the shop once, and I don't recall that it was anything major.   When I gave it to MS, there was hardly a scratch on it.  Now it has some dents & bruises (along with some of the inside coming apart where one/both of the boys left the windows open during some rains), but it was a perfect car for YS to take to the high school parking lot so he didn't have to worry about additional dents/scratches.  The Jeep should be a good replacement for him.
I guess all that's left to say is:
So long, "The Beast" aka "The Shaggin' Wagon".

4 comments:

  1. I so understand. We have "Moby Dick", a 1993 white Dodge minivan that our boys have driven for high school. Our daughter is hoping it is dead by the time she gets there :)

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  2. I have given you an award. I hope you will visit me and claim it. If you don't...that is ok...I just loved the name of the award.
    http://stillmagnolias.blogspot.com/2012/09/sisterhood-of-world-bloggers-unite.html

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  3. Those Dodge vans are reliable if nothing else. I have had mine (used) since 2006 and it has been a blessing. The Shaggin Wagon, now that is funny because when we purchased an older RV it had that written across the front, it was a great conversation piece. So glad you had the jeep to replace it with!

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  4. This tugged at my heart because we have a 1999 Olds Silhouette van that has carried us here and there and everywhere; its still going "strong" (less than 88,000 miles on it) but I know one day we'll have to retire it. Nothing like having a mini van to drive!

    betty

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